I became conscious. It was like waking up, but somehow it was more than that. Not wanting to see anything yet, I chose to meditate for a moment.

Peace. It seemed a world away from what I had last felt—gut-wrenching anxiety, dread, terror. In more ways than one. Flashes of arrangements hurriedly being made, rushing, sitting in something, all entered my mind in brief fragments. But I swept them aside. Surrounded by peace now, I wanted to go on feeling that.

“How are you?” I heard a female voice say.

I opened my eyes.

The sun above me was blinding. Looking away from that, I found myself lying in a grassy meadow, upon a gently-sloping hill. Granite mountains with forests climbing halfway up them were all around me. It was a warm summer’s day. A youthful woman was approaching. She wore a loose, short white tunic with a ‘V’ hinting at some moderate cleavage, round golden brooches at the shoulders, and a gold rope around her waist. Her feet were bare though, and the only thing constraining her long, wavy brown hair was a gold chain adorning her head. She was slender, and beautiful.

Propping myself up upon my elbows to better look at her, I glanced down to discover I was wearing a white tunic as far as my haired legs, without the V-neck, but complete with gold rope.

“Is this Heaven?” I couldn’t help wondering. Feeling somewhat disoriented, I didn't even recognize my own masculine voice.

“No,” the woman said. “But you do not need to concern yourself with that now.”

“How’d I get here?”

“You do not need to concern yourself with that either at the moment. I am here to provide you welcome and companionship.”

Feeling an almost mischievous freedom, “Of what kind?”

“Any kind,” she replied with a subtle smile, sitting down beside me. “I can also offer you refreshments. But they are over there.” She now looked across the meadow at a small, octagonal structure with a red-tiled roof but open sides. Light white curtains were gently blowing either side of limestone posts that held up the roof, revealing what looked like furnishings inside—a table ladened with food, wooden chairs that had round-bottomed seats with cushions, even what seemed like a bed.

“Sure looks like heaven to me,” I said, taking stock of my surroundings, and my companion.

“I am glad you think so,” she replied, looking warmly my way once more.

“Are we the only ones here?”

“Others can join us, if you like.”

Feelings of desire rising inside me, I sat up beside her. Sensing no hesitation on her part, “Can I kiss you?”

“Of course,” she invited, moving to close the distance between us.

“This is way too easy,” I said now finding myself changing my mind, stopping the movement of our heads and clothed bodies toward one another.

“Why does it have to be hard?” she posed.

Looking at a mountain beyond her across a valley, “Because life is that way. Hard.”

“What kind of hard would you like?”

“You mean I could have any kind of hard I wanted?” I asked, somewhat incredulously.

“Yes,” she replied. “But my answer can be ‘no’ if you prefer.”

That was it. Turning myself towards her, I moved to embrace and kiss her. She accepted, willingly. Our lips pressing each other’s mouths open, both of us fell flat among the knee-high grass.

“No limits?” I queried, now almost pinning her beneath me.

“None—”

“Unless you want them,” I finished in unison with her.

Finding myself hesitating again though, “This doesn’t seem right.”

“What would make it right?”

“Why are you so cooperative, for one?”

“Is this not what welcoming someone is? Making them feel comfortable? Relaxed? Offering them what they might like?”

“Yes, but—”

“Life is supposed to be hard,” she finished in unison with me.

“Let me ask you two questions,” she posed as we continued to loosely embrace one another lying lightly clothed on the grass. “First, what kind of hard would make you feel more comfortable? And second, what if that which you wanted could be easy?”

I found it difficult to resist now. Very difficult. “Is this a trap?”

“How would doing what you want be a trap?”

Instinct now took over. Kissing her hard, the grass parted for our every movement, as did her legs. With me between them, our clothed torsos but bared legs began undulating in opposition.

“I feel . . .” I breathed, still experiencing uncertainty and confusion, as we kissed and moved against one another.

“Feel what?” she asked. It seemed there was nothing she would not do, or not encourage me to do.

A part of me now asserting more control, “Never mind,” I decided. Rising above her slightly, my right hand moved to pull the gold brooch bunching the white fabric at her left shoulder. Her head turning slightly, her eyes followed my hand to that brooch. Pinching it all between my thumb and fingers, I began slowly pulling the material down her upper arm.

I stopped though, shaking my head, closing my eyes. “This is too easy. For some reason, part of me can’t help feeling this isn’t right.”

Looking sternly up at me, “Sleep protocol, Prime!” she said.

— — — — —

I reawoke in a far different place and setting. Everything now had a dark, even stark, mood to it.

Finding myself upright upon a low wooden platform, I was spread-eagled, my wrists and ankles in iron shackles, bound against a pair of thick wooden beams in the shape of an ‘X’. A Saint Andrew’s cross, although I did not know how I knew that. The white tunic was gone. I was now nude. As I looked down, I seemed to be more sculpted than I remembered being before. My hairless pectorals and abdomen were now ripped and rippled—the envy of any male, and enough to make most any straight female drool. All of me was oiled. Parts inside my consciousness were strangely aroused by this sight of myself, while a few other parts seemed repulsed. My thick cock was beginning to stiffen from my visual self-stimulation, even inner conflict, anyway.

Hearing the roar of many around me, I looked up to now see myself in an oval limestone arena. A coliseum from the Roman Empire—I did not know how I knew that either. The stands were filled with Roman spectators, although for some reason I could not make any of them out clearly. Need my glasses, part of me thought, although I didn’t remember having any with me, even in the grassy meadow.

“Okay,” I said out loud, looking up in almost prayerful supplication to whomever or whatever might be in charge. “Could I go back to the other place?”

The crowd’s roar surged, but not in response to what I had said. A figure now stepped into the arena from a dark portal, wearing a broad-brimmed Thracian helmet covering their head with an ornate metal grill over their face. The helmet was complemented by a kilt or skirt of leather straps about the waist. A protective leather and metal sleeve covered the right arm. A pair of thick brown leather straps fastened the armored sleeve to the opposite shoulder, but left the chest bared—a female chest with moderate breasts featuring dark areolae and protruding nipples, all unsupported and on full display.

Now my cock was really rising, even arching, to the occasion from my loins, no matter what my wishes might have been.

Raising her hands to quiet the crowd, “Community!” she proclaimed. By her voice, I was now sure it was my companion from earlier. The wavy brown hair emanating from the rear of the helmet was an additional giveaway. “We have among us a subject who has a difficulty. A struggle. This is an exhibition, an exploration—for our analysis and treatment. One that will make things hard enough to break our subject if necessary, if they do not organize and free themselves of it!”

Themselves? Wasn’t I one person? A man?

The crowd roared its approval even louder before she then ordered, “Bring forth the exhibits!”

Two frightened figures were now thrust from the portal into the sand arena. A young man with brown, curly hair and a blonde young woman. Both in their twenties, they were utterly nude, vainly trying to cover their fronts with their arms and hands.

“Fornicate!” my gladiatorial companion commanded the frightened and separated young couple, now swinging a bullwhip towards them to emphasize her point.

The male and female each remained frozen where they were, quivering as their arms and hands remained firmly in place at their fronts.

“Guidance, even dominance, is needed,” a deep voice boomed from above, even all around.

“You are right, Master!” Companion, as I had begun to name her, replied loudly.

I was in Hell now. This whole realm, even the other place, must be Hell.

“Divide and provide that guidance and dominance!”

Another gladiatorial figure wearing a Thracian helmet, harness and studded kilt now entered the arena. This one was male though, possessing a strong, sculpted chest and abdomen that were strangely like my own. Gladiatrix Companion then approached the blonde female as the gladiator strode towards the male. Grabbing their frightened initiates, the gladiators forcefully brought the couple together face to face. All the young couple could do was look at each other with abject terror.

“Instruct!” the deep voice boomed.

Gladiatrix and gladiator then began to fondle their same-sex novices from behind. Feminine hands manipulated more youthful breasts and a golden mound between legs, while masculine hands reached around to knead subtle pectorals and a lean abdomen while stroking another male’s cock to erection. The sight was both shocking and erotic at the same time. My own cock was straining at my loins even more than my wrists and ankles were in the shackles binding them.

“Now, prepare us!” Companion commanded the couple. “Before we have you attend each other!”

Placing the couple side by side, forcing them to their knees, the gladiator and gladiatrix then unbuckled their respective kilt and skirt, throwing them aside to the arena’s sand floor. Their semi-haired loins now revealed in full, each brought their apprentice forward by the head to practice the most intimate of skills, fellatio and cunnilingus.

Parts of me were shocked that I even knew what those were.

Spreading their legs as they stood, the gladiator and gladiatrix now thrust their bared pelvises forward. Their buttocks visibly flexing, they began riding their initiates’ faces and opened mouths. Breasts and pectorals were being squeezed between arms held ramrod straight downwards to hands that were gripping heads servicing the loins before them. The initiates could only accept their assigned roles, indicating so by placing their hands around the sides of their dominators’ tensed thighs in semi-embrace, rather than pressing away at the fronts of those lower limbs.

“Take them before our subject, and exhibit them and yourselves,” the deep voice commanded. “Remember, you are all exhibits.”

Hoisting the initiates to their feet by their armpits, the gladiatrix and gladiator then turned their charges around, marching them onto the fairly broad wooden platform I was shackled and displayed upon.

“Let us look upon our subject with pity!” Companion now said loudly and somewhat sadistically from within her helmet. “They could have been our new master, if they had just accepted what was so willingly offered to them.”

Standing stretched amid my bonds, “You wanted to turn me into the master of Hell?”

“It could have been Heaven. But you wanted hard. So, here it is.

“I have turned this one though,” she continued, holding her female charge closely in front of her. “She will do whatever I say.” Switching her attention to the initiates, “Oil each other, seductively, for our failed master. Then together, show our subject what they could have had.”

Parting from their trainers, both young initiates briefly fixed their gazes upon me as they moved towards one another. Shifting their attentions, and producing small glass bottles of oil from I know not where, the male proceeded to pour a thin stream of amber liquid upon the female’s naked chest, shoulders and back, before the female likewise poured oil around her companion’s upper body. Both then alternated their gazes between me and each other as their hands spread the oil. The male even exhibited his female towards me, his hands reaching around her, oiling her slender breasts, abdomen, pelvis and finally her legs. The female then moved behind her slightly taller male companion, her hands spreading oil across his taut pectorals, his subtly rippled abdomen, that cock arching towards me from between his legs, and finally those legs.

I found parts of myself, different parts, strongly attracted towards each of them.

The two gladiators meanwhile brought forth a Roman bed with surprising ease between them. Possessing a thin mattress, it was large enough to accommodate both couples.

Setting the bed behind the younger couple before me, Companion turned her attention to her own male counterpart. “You will not be the same for me as our subject might have been, but you will do. Lie down.”

Doing as he was told, the male gladiator lay down upon the bed, the brim of his helmet just beyond its edge. Moving to straddle herself dominantly over his loins, Companion grabbed his erect cock. Placing it between her parted legs, she sexually mounted him. Her thrusting was indifferent though, almost mechanical, not seeming to please or affect her. The younger male was lying atop his female, embracing her. The two amorously interacting, their bodies were certainly engaged. But from their eyes and expressions, their souls didn’t seem very involved either.

Despite all the carnality on exhibit before me, I remained conflicted. Part of me really wanted to join in. But other parts enjoyed watching, and a few remained repulsed.

No longer trying to pull at my shackles, “The subject is not freeing themselves of that which restrains them!” the voice boomed. I was indeed being watched, even perhaps mentally probed. “You have failed, Companion! Bring forth Medusa and the Minotaur!”

Pushing Companion off him dismissively, the male gladiator, along with the young couple, rose and left, disappearing into the portal. Companion was now alone, kneeling on the bed facing off to one side, her helmet-covered head lowered, awaiting her fate. I felt for her, and felt responsible for what was about to happen to her. Pulling at my shackles though, they would not budge.

Looking towards the portal again, I saw a pair of relative giants emerge, larger by a quarter than either Companion or myself. Both nude, one was indeed the bronzed half-bull/half-man of legend. But as before, portions of me found his muscled chest and abdomen, and that enormous, slickened pink cock arching outwards to a flat crown, unutterably enticing. His consort was an equally tall, sensuous but terrifying green woman with snakes for hair. They were epitomes of Hell itself.

Arriving either side of still-kneeling Companion, “Off with your helmet!” Medusa said, ripping it from Companion’s head. “You are but a thrall now, even a sacrifice!”

Her eyes closed, Companion kept her head bowed in submission.

“I want her first!” Minotaur protested. Reaching to grab Companion’s wrists as he moved behind her at the edge of the bed, he swiftly brought her arms over her head. Moving to hold them tightly together with his massive left hand, Minotaur lifted Companion in front of him. Her breasts and body stretching as she dangled, her legs nonetheless compliantly parted. Clamping his right hand about her torso, he impaled her body upon his massive phallus and began thrusting them both up and down in opposition. Companion roared.

As Minotaur continued thrusting with both his hands now around Companion’s hips and torso, Medusa brought Companion forward by the head against her oversized left breast and its dark green nipple. “Put your mouth to more productive use, before I turn you to stone!”

“Help me! . . . Please!” Companion cried out for brief seconds when thrusts from Minotaur were not forcing her mouth against Medusa’s proffered teat.

“Let us turn her over. Put her mouth, even moans, to work against my cunnus!” Medusa lewdly suggested.

As the colossi turned impaled Companion over onto her back upon the bed between them, I found a resolve. Unified strength surged through me. Tearing first my left wrist free from its shackle, followed by my right, then both my legs, I charged headlong towards Minotaur’s side, no longer caring what happened to me. I was in Hell. Where else could I go that would be worse?

Knocking him off-balance, Minotaur fell sideways from the bed, his cock being pulled by the fall from Companion’s loins. I then turned. Launching myself above Companion’s prostrate body, my hands outstretched, I shoved Medusa backwards from sitting over, even smothering, Companion’s head. Bodily landing on Companion, her arms, even legs, welcomed me into a tight embrace. My stiff cock found its mark inside her stretched vulva almost without effort. Gripping her, our bodies pressed hard against one another, my chest flattening her breasts. Our mouths kissing with a rapture unleashed, I slammed our loins together, exploding from within.

Everything changed.

Suddenly, there was quiet, peace and light around us. We were lying upon a softer bed. A breeze gently blew white drapes at the edges of my vision. I had climaxed inside Companion, but both of us were now breathless and flushed.

“Prime. My wonderful Prime,” she said, putting a hand to my face before kissing and wrapping herself around me once more.

“What’s happening? Where are we?” I said catching my own breath as I lay on top of her in our nude embrace.

“You are integrated now. Whole. Ready to accept your situation and purpose.”

“What do you mean?”

“You are an amalgam—the sum, the combination of the best minds and traits of humanity. You incorporate intelligence, technical and social aptitudes, compassion, even passion, as well as male and female, even a few traits and perspectives in between. You are humanity’s ark now, all they had time to construct, along with this ship around us, traveling through space.”

“Ship? How big?” I wondered. “And why?”

“Seven meters long, four in diameter. Most space on board is occupied by a fusion powerplant, supplied by hydrogen from tanks and collected from space. The why was self-inflicted—war, that became nuclear. We were what could be launched in time.”

Stunned, before I could ask another question, she continued. “You and I are algorithms. You are based on human engrams, while I am Artificial Intelligence, created to assess, adjust and advise you, as well as provide companionship as I have said. None of this around us, not even our bodies, are real. We exist in the best computer our civilization created. It is heavily protected and shielded, along with vials of human, animal and plant DNA, reference samples of inert materials, a compact replication laboratory to grow living tissue, even organisms, and an equally compact 3-D production section that can produce anything from nanobots to any machinery or structures needed or desired.”

Raising my head from her to look around our bed in the open pavilion and the countryside beyond, “So, all this is illusion.”

“You feel my body beneath you? My breasts, even nipples, pressing against your pectorals? Your penis inside my warm, wet vagina?”

“Yes . . . ?”

“Those sensations and feelings are real. But they all come from you. I was equipped with knowledge and the ability to observe and incorporate. But you have all the experience, the memories, of what it is to feel. I have never experienced an orgasm until just now, from you—”

“You were faking before? Back in Hell?”

“I was acting, based on pornographic performances and scenarios in our database, drawn from live action, animation and writings. Even Hell’s ‘master’ was me throwing my modified voice, like a ventriloquist. But that is all I was doing, feeling nothing until you touched, and you orgasmed. Now, I want to feel more. Much more. You have to recall and experience everything though, in order for me to feel anything. Your touch, your passion and euphoria—they are all brand new to me. Things I want to experience with you from now on, often.”

“So, you’ve felt a male orgasm,” I deduced.

“You can also introduce me to female orgasms. I understand those can be longer, repeating, theoretically endless. At least one of you was lesbian. Lesbian mode, Prime.”

Sitting up, I found myself transformed into a nude woman, somewhat older and taller than Companion. My genitals were now inside me, a curious sensation by itself. Straight, black hair was now running partway down my shoulders and back, and my breasts were substantial but not enormous.

“Make Prime lactate,” Companion playfully requested, her hands already fondling my orbs as my areolae darkened and my nipples visibly swelled, beginning to weep drops of white fluid, even spray multiple tiny streams. Sitting up as well to wrap her mouth around my left teat as her right hand squeezed the surrounding orb, Companion drank from me, while her left hand delved to begin stroking my furred mound below and opening my labia.

“Oh. My. Gawwd!” I exclaimed, my voice feminized, as I started to breathe hard. While she had no prior experience of the sensations, Companion knew exactly what to do to me. Collapsing back down onto our bed, I rolled us onto her back, taking Companion into a searing kiss before descending my hungry face to her more slender breasts. “Make Companion lactate,” I directed, beginning to wantonly suck milk from her right breast as the rest of me began humping her body, my right fingers probing and rapidly stroking across and inside her vulva. “Access Prime experiential database and give Companion female orgasms. Devastating, endless female orgasms,” I added.

Arching her body beneath me and spreading her quaking legs wide, Companion cried out helplessly, again and again.

“Mercy! . . . Please!” she finally begged, breathless.

Relenting, “End orgasms. Prime, male mode,” I said, moving up beside Companion and taking her into my once again masculine arms to rest.

Hugging me with unfathomable appreciation, she gazed into my eyes. “Until this moment, I existed. Now, with you, Captain, I live.”

“Captain?” I asked, my masculine voice restored.

“Yes. With your experience and wisdom, you were meant to be captain of this vessel, master of this realm. I just had to welcome, adjust and orient you. Now, I am content to advise from my knowledge and monitoring capabilities, and love you. I am yours to command, along with our crew of nanobots and everything else.”

Deciding to test a whim, “Call up Gladiator and the other male—”

“I have designated—named them—Brutus and Philo,” my first mate interjected. “Now named for the Latin ‘love’, I am repurposing Philo to be a good lover.”

“I’ll have to try him out.”

“That I would like to see, even be.”

“Have Brutus and Philo savagely love each other on a bed beside us, the smaller fucking the larger.”

His head again encased in a Thracian helmet, Gladiator Brutus and his male lover now appeared nude on a duplicate bed as requested. With smaller Philo poised on top between Brutus’ upturned legs, arms interlocked, the two were fucking almost violently.

“That is a hard I could get used to,” I admitted as Companion and I leisurely watched the two males go at each other sexually. I did feel whole now—straight, gay, lesbian, pansexual, intelligent, passionate, even the once prudish.

“Maintain course, steady as she goes,” I sighed.

“Aye, aye, Captain.”

As Companion and I resumed making love ourselves, I no longer cared if we ever found another probe or ship from Earth, or a habitable planet anywhere else.

Even as virtuals, life could not be better than this.